Spring Camp Report 3: First Day in Full Pads

NORMAL, Ill. – The first two practices of spring camp for the Illinois State football team were spent getting the Redbird re-acclimated to the pace and speed of the game.  Those first two workouts were also necessary in getting the Redbirds ready to put on full pads for the first time and start hitting, which they did for the first time Tuesday during practice No. 3 at Hancock Stadium.

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As has become a custom, head coach Brock Spack called the full team up and instructed them to form a circle.  He then called out two names of players to line up across from each other and see who was stronger in a one-on-one blocking drill.  Offensive linemen and defensive linemen, linebackers and tight ends and wide receivers and defensive backs each faced off as the day began with some intensity and excitement.

From there, a special teams circuit was held with kick returners and up men taking turns on fielding footballs coming off the jugs machine.  The purpose was for the two to communicate who would take the kick, based on where the ball traveled.  Punt returners Anthony Warrum, Spencer Schnell and Chase Pankey also took turns returning punts from Reece Attard and Zach Breen.

The normal blitz drill was next, but this time the pads were on and reps became more serious.  Jake Kolbe connected with Christian Gibbs on the first throw and then broke a 20-yard run on the second play on an option fake.  He would later connect with Warrum for 15 yards, but on the next play he was intercepted along the far sideline by Mitchell Brees and he took the ball to the end zone for a score.  Two plays later, Decxavier Kelly-Martin and Donavin O'Day combined for a TFL on DeMarco Corbin to end the drill on a high note.

The script then flipped a bit, as the team session usually saved for the end of practice was held in order to get more repetitions for the players, several of who have to leave practice early to attend night classes.  At the end of the session, the offense went into no-huddle mode and Kolbe and Warrum connected twice on the first two plays to get off to a great start.  The two then connected on a 75-yard touchdown on a play-action fake, which brought in cornerback Davontae Harris and allowed the All-American to run free over the middle for the score.

Things settled down at the end of the drill and O'Day added his second TFL of the day, just before Luther Kirk and Cole Bumpus recorded back-to-back interceptions to send the action to the 7-on-7 period.  Kolbe was 5-for-8, with a pair of completions to Matt Biegalski, and Koty Thelen was 6-for-8 with two completions each to Nick Griffith and Pankey, who broke one for a 40-plus yard gain.

The Redbirds will return to the field Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. for the fourth practice of the spring at Hancock Stadium.  For live practice updates, photos and video follow the official Redbird Football Twitter account @RedbirdFB and log onto GoRedbirds.com for full coverage throughout the spring.

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